boundless_universefandomcom-20200216-history
Races
The Boundless Universe is home to many different kinds of beings. These beings are generally classified by their Race, denoting their ancestry and connectivity to Divine Energy. Of the original ten "Parent" Races born from The First Spark, there have arisen countless Sub-Races, which can generally be separated into the three categories of Divine, Semi-Divine, and Mortal. Divine and Semi-Divine Races are collectively known as Higher Beings. Categories The three categories of Races are Divine, Semi-Divine, and Mortal. The Divine Races refer to the first four races born during the First Spark: the Aenold, Magniri, Lyriites, and Hessites. They are considered closest to the Divine Forces, and tend to hold high positions in the Divine Realms. The Semi-Divine Races refer to the next five parent Races born during the First Spark--the Scraul, Mythrandos, Anglittes, Spritas, and Braeka--and the various Sub-Races that came thereafter. These Races are still able to form powerful connections to the Divine Forces, and are able to master Quen. As such, they are able to become warriors just as mighty as Divine beings, though they may have different natural abilities. Semi-Divine races make up the vast majority of the population in the inhabited Realms. Finally, there are the Mortals. The Mortals refer to the beings born last during the First Spark, who came to inhabit the terrestrial bodies (planets) that later became collectively known as the Mortal Realms. They are incapable of forming a strong connection to the Divine Forces, and as such are incapable of mastering Quen. Some Mortals can, however, form minor connections to the Universal Forces, most notably Imperios, with substantial training and talent. Known Differences Though the primary criterion for dividing the Races is the order of birth during the First Spark, there are some other differences between the Races that tend to set them apart. For instance, some groups may have substantially different phenotypic qualities (e.g. pointed ears, fur, wings, etc.). Also, some groups have innate abilities. The Aracni, for example, are able to spin webs, and though a similar result may be achieved with Quen, no other group is born with this ability. Such distinctions have served to categorize the Races that came after the First Spark, or to more specifically group beings within very diverse races (e.g. the Braeka). Despite these criterion used to separate groups, broadly speaking there is little difference between the Divine and Semi-Divine Races, especially where access to Divine Energy is concerned. Both groups are able to form strong, lasting connections to Divinities. The true difference lies with the Mortals. As beings incapable of connecting to Divinities, Mortals have substantial biological and cultural differences: * Limited Life Spans: While Divine and Semi-Divine beings can die, they do not have a "set amount" of time. Unless acted upon by an external force, a Divine being will continue to live for hundreds of thousands of years (and in fact, many have done just that). Mortals, conversely, will succumb to age, even if they live a healthy, safe life. * Enhanced Sense of Fear: As Mortals are far more fragile than Higher Beings, their brains and bodies have evolved several defense mechanisms to try and help them evade danger. One such mechanism is an enhanced sense of fear. While useful in many capacities, this mechanism has also been observed as perhaps being too potent, as Mortals will sometimes fear anything they deem to be different than themselves, leading to prejudice and misunderstanding. While Higher Beings are not always above prejudice and oppressing others, rarely is such oppression based on fear. * Children: With some exceptions among the Traeg and the Braeka, it is far harder for Higher Beings to have children. Under ideal circumstances, Mortals can have ten or more children, and in fact regularly meet this threshold. In the Higher Realms such things are exceedingly rare. Most women are capable of having one or two children, with some under very ideal conditions being able to produce more. The most children a Higher Being (again, with exceptions in the Traeg and Braeka) has produced is eleven, and her final child ended up taking her life. As a result of this limited capacity for childbearing, the populations of the Higher Realms grow far more slowly than in the Mortal Realms. * Vulnerability: Mortals have very fragile bodies compared to Divine and Semi-Divine beings. They require a great deal of maintenance (e.g. consistent access to nutritious food, sleep, and other physical resources), can be wounded easily, and can easily become ill. In contrast, beings that can connect to the Divinities naturally supplement many of their bodily needs with Divine Energy. While Divine and Semi-Divine beings still may need food or rest on occasion, their needs are by far less severe than the needs of Mortals. Additionally, it is exceedingly rare for Divine beings to become ill. The only pathogens that can reliably cause illness to a Divine being are those created with Quen. * Mental Capacities: The precise differences between the Mortal brain and the brains of Higher Beings are hotly debated in the Higher Realms. However, what is agreed upon is that Mortals are not 'wired' to live exceedingly long lives. Even if, by some miracle, a Mortal was able to live for ten thousand years, she would likely go mad. For Higher Beings however, living for such long stretches of time is not only a possibility, but an incredibly likely prospect. As such, Higher Beings seem to have a level of mental resilience that Mortals do not. Some controversial scholars have suggested that Higher Beings also have elevated mental faculties, and are able to reason and learn at an evolved level. This is not confirmed however, and many have criticized such theories as rationales for the oppression or brutalization of Mortals. Known Races and Sub-Groups Groups within the Hessites: * Vampires * Apothomites (Devils) * Succubi (Succirae) * Sorcerers (Witches) * Râhu (Myoma) * Oni Groups within the Mythrandos * Draeka (Dragons) * Beasts * Spirits * Wisps * Wraiths * Elementals Groups within the Spritas: *Note: Groups descended from the Spritas are not separated based on phenotypic qualities, as there are no true, consistent phenotypical differences. Instead, they are grouped based on cultural and ancestral differences. * Müri: Thalderyn Spritas * Bāren: Elda Spritas * Féthek: Independent Spritas * Vallaren: Aurivald Spritas Groups within the Braeka: * Imps * Elves (Dwali) * Night Elves (Viska) * Dwellen (Dwarves) * Goblins * Ogres * Trolls * Giants * Sirens * Sprites * Hybrids: ** Werewolves ** Aracni (half humanoid, half spider) ** Minotaurs ** Lamia (half snake) ** Dullahan (half spirit) ** Allu (sightless cave dwellers) ** Myori (Merfolk) ** Beastmen (skin changers) ** Unformed ** Dopplers ** Salamanders (lizard folk) ** Centaurs ** Fauns ** Harpy Race in the Realms Category:Races